Often an overlooked subject when it comes to being out in the elements. Everyone’s bodies and temperatures are different and I’m grateful to run hot and feel like I’m just a furnace all the time. With that being said, the way we all dress outside in the winter will either make or break your attempt of a summit, a climb, or if a winter hike goes smoothly or not.

Regardless if you run hot or cold, dressing for a cold winter day will look the same across the board. The basis is a base layer, an insulation layer, and then a waterproof layer. I like to lay all my clothing out on either my bed or the ground the night before and make sure I have everything I’ll need. Depending on my objective and the weather will be the limiting factor what layers I bring.

For a day of ice climbing:

I’ll start with my feet and lay out a pair or 2 of wool socks out. Next, I move to my legs and lay out a base layer and a soft shell pair of pants. I rock with a Helly Hansen pair that’s not super loose and can let me move pretty easily. If there’s snow, rain, or wet conditions I might encounter, I’ll throw a pair of hardshell pants in there or just wear just a hardshell and not even bring the soft shells. Moving onto the “tops”, I put out a synthetic shirt followed by a windbreaker. Next, is my insulation layer which for me is a Patagonia Micro Puffy. Again, depending on conditions will be my limiting factor on if I wear a soft shell jacket or a Goretex/ waterproof jacket. Finally, I always bring my “oh shit” belay puffy which lives in my pack for every winter objective I do. Mine is a Patagonia Fitz Roy for reference. Gloves is another important aspect of being in the elements. For ice climbing objectives, I pack a liner pair, midweight glove, and then a climbing glove, and a few hand warmers. Last but not least, is my head which is where you’ll lose 7-10% of your body heat if you don’t have a hat on in the elements. I’ll also bring a buff/ face covering to keep my neck/ ears warm too.

For a winter hike:

I’ll bring everything above and pack the hardshells in there because mountain weather is quick to change and is hard to forecast for sometimes. I’ve been on trips where the forecast has called for sunshine and instead it’s been raining for multiple days and the sun never came out. I’ll also bring a bigger med kit for these days which will be for another blog post!

Some big things to touch on here is to not wear cotton in the winter. The term “cotton kills” is because when cotton gets wet, it loses all of its warming abilities and can lead to hypothermia. I also follow a saying I heard in college that is “be bold, start cold”. What that means is that before you start hiking, start cold. This will help you from sweating into all your layers and then being cold and miserable. I tend to hike in my t-shirt, base layer and the windbreaker. Once at the base of the climb, I’ll take the wet shirt off that I’ve been sweating into and just put the base layer on and then my micro puffy and soft shell and get ready for the climb! Another thing is staying hydrated and fueling the body will help you to stay warm while being outside!!!

If you run cold, then you might need a few extra layer or layers in there to stay warm. This is my system and yours might look different and that’s okay! Just avoid cotton and be prepared with the right gear this winter!

Thanks again for reading and I hope to see everyone getting outside this winter! Embrace the cold and step out of your comfort zone!

-John